By Francis Sardauna
The wife of Katsina State governor, Dr. Hadiza Bello Masari, on Wednesday donated 1,000,000 masks to the 34 local government areas of the state to support the government’s fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Other beneficiaries included the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Correctional Centres (NCC), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Nigerian Red Cross and state ministries.
The masks were donated by the governor’s wife through her pet project — Centre for the Advancement of Mothers and Children — in collaboration with the management of Green House Katsina.
Speaking shortly after the distribution of the masks, Mrs Masari said the donation was informed by the necessity of providing masks to vulnerable groups to ensure their protection against the contracting and spreading of the deadly disease.
She reiterated that the numerous challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic has called for support and cooperation of all and sundry, hence the donation of the masks.
She added: “I therefore urge all beneficiaries to make proper use of it so that the spread of the virus will be curtailed. Let me use this opportunity to remind parents, particularly mothers that there is yet no cure found for coronavirus.
“The only protection against infection with the virus as advised by medical experts is personal hygiene, frequent hand washing, use of mask and social distancing. As Eid-el-fitr is approaching, parents must ensure that children are not allowed unnecessary visits and social gatherings.”
The governor’s wife admonished religious and traditional leaders to be more proactive in sensitizing their followers and subjects on the dangers associated with Covid-19 in order to tackle it in the state.
On his part, the state Covid-19 Emergency Response Committee Chairman, Alhaji Mannir Yakubu, represented by the Commissioner for Health, Nuhu Danja lamented that the Covid-19 pandemic has crippled commercial activities in the state.
Yakubu, who is also the state deputy governor, explained that the state has recorded 281 confirmed cases of the dreaded virus with 13 deaths, hence the need for stakeholders to support government’s effort in eradicating the virus.
Also speaking, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Green House Katsina, Alhaji Shehu Namaska, said that the gesture was to cushion the spread of the global health crisis currently ravaging the country.
